


Odd One Out

by Poodoowriter5



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst, Bedtime Stories, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Fluff, Jedi Training (Star Wars), Tatooine (Star Wars), Tatooine Slave Culture, Young Anakin Skywalker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:46:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22581982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poodoowriter5/pseuds/Poodoowriter5
Summary: Anakin Skywalker just doesn't fit in with the other Jedi. That's all there is to it. And you know what? Maybe he doesn't want to fit in anymore. Maybe he's actually happy with his life.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 8
Kudos: 213





	Odd One Out

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! Another fanfic. I've read a bit on Tatooine slave culture, but my knowledge is scanty at best. I apologise for any inaccuracies. Also, Master Che-Denaro is the only made up character here. Hope you guys enjoy it!

"Padawan Olin," said Master Che-Depora, "Can you tell me what this person is demonstrating?"

Said padawan looked at the picture of a Jedi apprentice showing his master a broken lightsaber. "Honesty," he promptly answered.

"Very good. Padawan Tel-Thanis?" 

Anakin rolled his eyes. Really, this whole lesson was just a waste of time. They were supposed to be studying qualities essential to the life of a Jedi. Master Che-Depora would pick a padawan and show them a picture featuring a Jedi demonstrating one of those traits, which the padawan then had to name. So far, they'd done responsibility, humility, and honesty. To him, this was a tremendous waste of time. There were about a million other _productive_ things he could be doing right now. Instead, he was stuck doing this worthless lesson. He suspected that the purpose of it was more to teach them patience and focus, not "traits essential to the life of a Jedi."

"Efficiency," the girl decided.

"Very good. Padawan Veld?" 

The boy frowned a bit before answering, "Reliability."

"Correct. Padawan Skywalker?"

Anakin looked at the picture of a Jedi walking fearlessly towards a rancor. "Stupidity," he said.

The Pantoran master looked sternly at him. He could hear the other padawans snickering. "The word I was looking for, Skywalker," the master said, "was _bravery_."

Anakin blinked. Bravery? _Bravery_? He had to be joking.There was a fine line between being brave and being brainless. "But master," he said incredulously. "That guy's a total nit-wit! He's walking straight up to a _rancor_! Do you have any idea how dangerous those things are? Jabba uses them to dispose of slaves!"

At that last sentence, several padawans gasped in horror. Anakin flushed slightly. Right. He forgot. Any mention of his past life was _severely_ frowned upon here. "Padawan Skywalker," the master said harshly. "Leave the classroom and wait for me in the hall. 

Frustration rising in his chest, Anakin stalked out. Why did he always have to mess everything up? What was wrong with him? He'd been here for eight months! Why did he still not fit in? A tear trickled slowly down his cheek. He'd been ecstatic when he'd learned that he was going to be taking classes with other padawans. He'd thought he'd finally be welcome, not shunned as he had been on Tatooine both because he was a slave and because of his powers. The other children had mostly avoided him, labeling him as a freak. He'd thought it would be different here. He was wrong. He wasn't sure if it was jealousy because he was the Chosen One or disdain because he'd been a slave, but the other padawans hadn't accepted him. And now there was what had just happened in the class. He hadn't been trying to be annoying. He'd just said the first thing that had come to mind. Obi-Wan would be disappointed in him. Again. Why couldn't he just do something right for a change?

* * *

By the time Anakin was fourteen, he'd given up trying to befriend the padawans. He did, however, get along splendidly with the younglings. "Padawan Skywalker?" 

He looked down to see a four-year old Nautolean tugging on his tunic. "What is is, Teth?" 

Teth scuffed his little boot on the floor. "Can you tell us a story? It's bedtime for us."

Anakin smiled. "Of course." He walked with the youngling to the creche, put him in bed, then settled cross-legged on the floor while eight younglings sat in their beds, watching him eagerly. "All right. Ready? I'm going to tell you guys a story that I heard when I was very small. There was an evil man called Depur."

"Does evil mean bad?" one of the younglings interrupted.

Anakin nodded. "This Depur was very mean to everyone around him. His worst enemy was Eckreth, a spirit who could take many forms."

"Like a Clawdite?" a child asked.

"Mm-hmm. Eckreth was very kind and good to everyone. One day, though, Depur captured Eckreth. He told him, 'You are my enemy. Now I have captured you! I am going to be very mean to you!'"

A youngling bounced anxiously on her bed. "But he didn't, right. Cause Eckreth's good so he has to win, right?" she asked.

Anakin smiled. He was simplifying the story because the original was a bit too complex for three-year olds. "Let's find out," he said. "Eckreth, however, was very sneaky and smart. He said, 'Wait ten minutes, and then my daughter will come. I love her very much and I want to say goodbye to her before you take me away.' Depur thought that he would capture the daughter too, so he waited. He forgot though, that Eckreth's daughter was Leia, the-"

"Padawan Skywalker!" a disapproving voice said. "What are you telling them?"

Anakin looked up to see the creche-master standing in the doorway, looking very displeased. "Just an old story, Master," he said.

"Skywalker, these younglings are extremely impressionable. They are the future of our Order and cannot afford to have their heads cluttered up with useless stories from some backwater planet that you yourself would do well to forget! Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly," Anakin bit out before bidding the younglings goodnight and leaving. It wasn't fair. They were just kids. What harm would a story do them? These Jedi and their ridiculous rules! He couldn't understand them. Why did they want him to forget his heritage? Why did they want to stamp out his past? It was what made him who he was. _They don't like who you are. You are different. They fear you because of it. You have experienced things most of them have never dreamed of._ Chancellor Palpatine's words came unbidden to his mind. Well, they could dislike it all they wanted. He was who he was, and nobody was going to take that from him.

* * *

How did Jedi do it? He simply couldn't comprehend how they lived by that crazy "no attatchements" rule. He wouldn't be able to function if he didn't have Padme by his side. He lay there, in their bed, his love for her pouring off of him. He could feel her love for him too. She had accepted him with all his flaws, something the Jedi had never done. He knew now that he would never be like other Jedi, and quite frankly, he didn't care anymore. He loved his wife, and he'd be blasted before he let anyone take her away from him. He rested a hand on her swollen stomach. "Hey," he whispered. "You awake?" She nodded, cuddling up close to him. "I know what I want to name our baby," he said. 

"Really? What?" she asked, eyes shining. He looked down at her, filled with pride and admiration. She was going to make a wonderful mother. He could sense it.

"If it's a girl, which it is," he said. "I want to name her Leia."

"Leia? That's a pretty name. I like it."

"Yeah, me too. In Tatooinian culture, Leia is the Mighty Krayt Dragon. The Queen of the desert. The fierce protector of those she loves."

She snuggled even closer to him. "Wow. Now I _really_ like it." He smiled. Force, he loved this woman. "Ani?" 

"Hm?"

"If it's a boy, which _I_ know it it," she said smiling. "I want to name him Luke."

"Luke," he repeated. "Luke. I like that. Yeah, if we have a son, we'll name him Luke."

"And if we have a daughter, we'll name her Leia."

He smiled. "Goodnight, Angel," he whispered. Then he stroked her belly. "Goodnight, Leia."

She giggled. "You mean Luke, right?"

"No, I mean Leia. I told you we're having a girl."

"Nu-uh. We're definitely having a boy."

"Whatever you say," he teased. Then they fell asleep in each other's arms. 


End file.
